Miracle Moment

“Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the music leader of the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. So all Israel was bringing the ark of the covenant of the Lord up with shouts, the sound of the ram’s horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and the playing of harps and lyres. As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the city of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.” (I Chronicles 15:27-29)

Backstory – Michal was David’s first wife. She was King Saul’s daughter and David won her hand by slaying 200 philistines. He was only required to bring 100, but he did it up big! They loved each other passionately. She covered to protect him when her father turned on him. David went on the run for his life and over a period of time his wife, Michal, was given in marriage to another man. She built a life with this man. When her father died, there was a political alliance made between Abner and David. David told Ishbosheth to bring Michal to him. Her poor husband trailed behind them crying for her. Abner finally told him it was over and instructed him to go home. I can only imagine how Michal felt at what seems to be a terrible injustice all the way around that was actually instigated by her father’s actions.

So here we are with a bitter Michal, jealously looking down on what appeared to be a carefree David enjoying the crowd and dancing before the Lord. She probably ran through her memory about why David never came back for her and then now, after all this time being ripped from her home by this arrogant “king.” How dare he! To Michal he was still old David, the shepherd boy that ran from her dad; her first love that abandoned her. She had no respect for his office as king. And she’s mad…her life is upside down and David is celebrating. He has no right! The proud princess within her rose up. Instead of approaching him right, she ran to confront him so that she could give him a piece of her mind. She could care less that the ark of the Lord was returned to her people, her emotions and voice were priority. Her apparent lack of spirituality opened a terrible door in her life.

Could David have handled things better? Sure, he could have, and we could run through several scenarios, but the bottom line is that none of those positive outcomes occurred, so this is where we’re at. At the end of the day, we are responsible for our heart and how we process the bad in our lives. Things were what they were and like it or not David did have the favor of the Lord on Him. She was his wife who was wrongly taken, and he got her back. The best thing Michal could have done was to process her emotions and make peace with her situation and actually join in the celebration of the presence of the Lord coming back into Israel. I know that sounds hard but when you are dealt an unwanted situation, you compile insult to injury by staying trapped in anger and bitterness. Don’t let people continue to control you by catering to enslaving emotions. Break free, forgive and move forward. Get on out there and do your own dance before the Lord. You just might get free!

PRAYER:

Father, I submit my heart to You. I pray if ever I am in Michal’s situation that I will make a choice to rejoice. Teach me how to process my feelings, move beyond the injustice and be able to live in peace. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.